I learned something this week; Brent enjoys the Bites & Pieces posts. Well, in that case here we go.

Oooops, he and I don’t have much in common except that he’s a Democrat when it comes to social issues, and I’m pretty sure our food tastes will be as out of sync as our belief in the free market.

I’ve described myself as a grazer and I wasn’t kidding. I offered up my kale and pine nut salad and he didn’t jump at the offer so I think I’ll offer up my prime rib, Yorkshire pudding and spinach soufflé instead. I’d throw in my blueberry cheese cake but he’d probably have a heart attack and you guys would blame me for the loss of our Morning Report.

I only serve this meal once a year……… maybe, and I generally make a big salad to go with it so I can keep from starving to death while I watch everyone else inhale their dinner.

Prime Rib

Minimum 3 rib standing roast of quality, we buy prime. The weight doesn’t matter and I’ve actually purchased a roast of only 2 ribs before and the recipe works. You can have the butcher cut the bones away and reattach with string if you want.

Generously season the entire surface of roast. We like a Monterey seasoning but you can use anything you want as long as it includes some salt. Be creative.

Bring roast to room temperature and pre-heat oven to 375. Place roast in roasting pan with a rack under it. Put roast in oven, uncovered, and roast for 1 hour. Turn oven off.

Leave roast in oven, with door closed until guests arrive or about 45 minutes before you want to serve dinner. Do Not Open Oven Door and the roast must be in the oven for at least 2 hours after first roasting before you turn the oven on to finish. It can stay in longer though.

Turn oven on to 375 and continue roasting; 35 minutes for rare, 45 minutes for medium or 55 minutes for well done.

I leave it in for 45 minutes and the outside pieces are medium and inside is medium rare. Everyone around here says that’s perfect.

Serve with creamed horse radish sauce. I used packaged au jus mix or brown/onion gravy for the meat and the Yorkshire pudding. There won’t be enough drippings in the pan to make au jus or gravy generally.

Yorkshire Pudding (makes 12 muffins)

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

6 eggs

1 tsp salt

Vegetable shortening

Directions:

Mix milk, flour, eggs and salt until well blended. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

Spray muffin pan with Pam and put ¼ tsp of Crisco into each muffin tin. Place pan in oven and heat in oven at 400 until Crisco is melted and quite hot. Ladle cold liquid evenly between 12 muffins, quickly while pan is hot. Bake at 400 for about 25-30 minutes until the Yorkshire is puffed up and brown.

Let muffins sit in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing as it’s easier to get them out. Don’t skip the Crisco or spraying the pan. They will fall as they cool but that’s normal. There will still be little hollow places inside.

Spinach Souffle

Ingredients:

1 cube butter or margarine

6 eggs

6 tbs flour

2 boxes chopped frozen spinach (defrosted and drained well)

2 lbs. cottage cheese

½ lb. American cheese (cubed)

Combine all ingredients in a round and deep baking dish and bake for one hour at 350.

If you only have one oven (I actually have two) you can cook the spinach with the roast at 375 for a little less time. While the roast and spinach sit put the Yorkshire in.

As I mentioned, this is not a light or diet friendly dinner so be warned, but our family and friends look forward to it every time I say “that’s what’s for dinner”. It’s generally a holiday or special occasion meal. If you want to cut back on the fat content, save the spinach for another meal and have green beans instead….hahaha